Heaven and Earth! I have been watching these three days for an hour's quiet to write in, but one would say, there had been a conspiracy of
‘things in general’ to prevent me—The day before yesterday I bathed at Kircaldy and walked to Auchtertool after—and the fatigue was too much—and I was up to nothing but lying on the sofa all the evening which delayed my packing till yesterday morning, and tho I got up at half after
six to leave time for a letter, it was not till ‘prayers’ were over and the breakfast ready that I was ready to sit down—

Immedialy1 after breakfast the dogcart came round to take me to the half after eleven boat—I tried writing again at Betty's2—but at Bettys I could do nothing effectually except cry—She was so glad over me so mother-like—and that poor dying lad!3 and her white worn face, and compressed lips; and the smile far more touching than any tears!—Oh it was so dreadfully sad! and yet her kisses and her loving words about my Father and
Mother made me so happy—Then when I got here to tea—my Aunts were so unexpectedly tender and glad over me—I tried writing again in my bedroom but it was lighted with gass—and I found I could not put the light out too soon to save my life—

This morning again I got up at half past six to write to you—but I had paper and—and no pen—so went to bed again and lay till half past seven amidst a tearing rumble of carts that seemed to drive over my brain— — I go home4 tonight and shall be there till Monday or Tuesday (address Sunny Bank till Monday if you write) then back here—and I fear
I cant avoid staying a few days next time—in spite of the sleeping difficulties—but they are so kind my aunts—by the end of
the next week anyhow I hope to get to Auchtertool again I will write from Haddington—this steel pen is too dreadful

JWC-TC, [7 Aug.]. Addr: Scotsbrig / Ecclefechan. PM: 7 Aug. 1856. MS: NLS 605.407. Pbd: Froude, LM 2:282–83. “My Jeannie has come across to Craigenvilla (fond reminiscences of Craigenputtock!), her aunts' new garden residence
of their own in Edinburgh, Morningside quarter, same neat little place where the surviving two yet live (1869). They had all gone deep into conscious ‘devotion,’ religious philanthropy, prayer meetings, &c. &c., but were felt to be
intrinsically honest-minded women, with a true affection for their niece, however pagan!” (TC's headnote in LM 2:281).

2. Betty Braid had written to JWC, [1 Aug.]: “i was verey glad to her from you this morning and from your self being so ner me and that you ar hapey with you frinds
and that will done you good the Changes but i thoght i was shot when i hared that you was in Edinbur and me not saw you”;
C. H. Terrot had told her; he had been very kind and sympathetic to them “in our trubels”; she ended, “we will speak about
al things when we met.”

3. “Old Betty's one child [George], a promising young man, who had grown to be a journeyman watchmaker, was struck with paralysis;
powerless absolutely, all but the head, in which sad state his unweariable mother watched over him night and day till he died.—T.
C.” (headnote in LM 2:281). Erskine had written to JWC in May to say that George was dying; see JWC's Journal, 1 May 1856. In her letter, Betty wrote that he was “no wors but apour Sufreng Cretur but we have to be thankful for we have many mersys
and much to be thankful for.”

4. “To Haddington, to Misses Donaldson (eldest of them her ‘godmother,’ as was always remembered)” (TC's note in LM). TC wrote later: “my Wife had gone to her aunts in Edinburgh, for a night or two, to the Haddington Miss Donaldsons, and
in both places, the latter especially, had much to please her, and came away with the resolution to go again” (Reminiscences 160).